Means for loading cars



Dec. 10, 1940. HQAK 2,224,432

HEARS FOR LOADING CARS Fild March a, 1940 2,She e ts-Sheet 1 60 \YO r mDeg. 10, 1940. M1 HOAK 2,224,432

[EARS FOR LGADING CARS Filed March 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2/ f4 ALLANR. HOAK' Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved. means for loading cars with fruit,or other perishable merchandise placed in packages for transportation.

5 In order to better understand my invention it is here noted that thepresent method for loading cars with boxes, crates, packages, or lugs,here'- inafter referred to as lugs, for transportation, is to place thelugs in rows crosswise in the end oi the car, nail car strips across thetop of the row. of lugs to more securely hold them from shit-ting andbeingjostled in the car, then to place a second row on the top of thefirst described row, and again nail strips thereon, and so continueuntil a tier of rows are thus constructed, and in the same manner buildsuccessive tiers to fill the car. In order to keep the load of lugs fromside shifting and jostling about in the car during transportation, it isnecessary to place the lugs 20 close together in the row so they supporteach other, and likewise to put the tiers close together to form a solidpack, or load. As the inside width of the car is seldom an exactmultiple of the length of the lugs, unwanted spaces in this form ofloading exist between the load and the walls of the car. To,compensatefor these spaces between the wall and the load, the car strips areextended at either end so the alternate car strips bear against oppositewalls oi! the car. This is'the only means provided-in the present usedmethod, to prevent the load of lugs from shifting sidewise, thusloosening the load, and subjecting the lugs to be jostled in the car. Asthe car strips are normally. one-half inch in thickness and two inchesin width the precaution stated for preventing side shitting is notsumcient. This results in extensive damage to fruits and merchandisethus loaded which is shipped long distances, through the shifting of theload, and resultant broken lugs and packages.

It is also noted that in unloading the car, the strips must betorn orripped from the lugs "to which they were nailed, which procedurelikewise results in broken lugs and damaged fruit.

45 It is further noted that when the lugs of fruit are packed closelytogether, forming a compact load as hereinbefore described, the onlyopportunity to secure ventilation between the lugs is through the smallopen spaces between the top of one lug and the bottom of the lug nextabove, the lugs generally being provided with cleats on the top and onthe bottom to provide said space.

In my invention I have overcome those objections and have accomplishedthe following objects: i

The arrangement of the lugs forming the load, with my improved spacers,form a rigid, firm and compact load which cannot shift, and will' moreeasily withstand the'shocksgiven to the car 60 in transportation,thereby eliminating excessive breakage and damage to the lugs andcontents which is now prevalent.

Each individual lug is braced and made secure at all four comers.

My improved method and means for loading the car holds each lug separateand apart from the adjacent lugs, thereby providing complete andadequate spaces around each. individual lug for ventilation, and forrefrigeration, both of which are highly necessary and desirable in theshipment of perishable products.

Skilled labor for loading the car is not required. L

I eliminate the nailing of car strips to the lugs, and thus avoid damageoccasioned by ripping oil such strips when the car is being unloaded.

A car only partly filled can have the load thereon rigid, braced, andcompact as a complete load.

To accomplish these objects I have invented the following describedmethod, together with my improved spacers, for loading cars fortransportation, described in the following specification, andillustrated on the accompanying drawings, hereby made a part of thisspecification, in which,

Fig-.- 1 shows a top plan view of a plurality of lugs packed into a carwith my spacers in use, a fractional view of the car only being shown.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged unit view of a spacer, or- 1 post, which isinserted at the meeting flcorners oi. the stacked lugs.

- Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are each enlarged unit views of modified forms ofspacers which can be substituted tor the form shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 6, '7 and 8 are modified forms of spacers which are to be used atthe sides, ends and corners oi the car and adjacent to the load.

Fig. 9 is a wedge adapted to occupy space when the. width oi! the car iswider than a multiple of the width, or length ofthe lug and spacer.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of aload in a car, the viewbeing taken from end of the pack 01' lugs.

Fig. 11 is a fractional view 01 a wall, a stack of lugs, and wedge meansfor holding the stack of lugs against the wall.

Fig. 12 is an indlvidual'lug packed with fruit.

In the drawings, 9 represents a single lug oi the general character oflugs used fortransporting grapes and fruit. It is rectangular in tom,and they are made of uniform size for ease in handling and shipping. Oneform of spacer, l, is shown in Fig. 2." This spacer is constructed oftwo strips of material which is approximately two inches square and thelength of the height of the load, although variations from these di-'mensions can be made without departing from my invention. A board 01'approximately the strips is inserted between the two strips, 83 and 84,and the three pieces are fastened together so they form a post, with theboard forming tongues 8| and 82 projecting from opposite faces of thepost. It is'noted that a cross section of said spacer 8 would be in theform of a cross, as shown in Fig. 1. The side walls of the car are shownas 18, and the rear wall of the car is indicated as 18!. Modified formsof spacers are shown in Fig. 8, which is a right angle form 88, to beused in loading in the comers of the car, spacer 48, shown in Fig. 6having one of the tongues removed, which form is to be used along theside walls of the car, and a form 58 shown in Fig. '7 in which one ofthe strips is omitted, said form 58' being used as a spacer at the endwall of the car. v i

The loading of a car with these spacersis as follows: The lugs arearranged .in a stack 9| the height it is desired to make the load, andthe loading is started in one corner of the car with spacer 68 used inthe car corner, spacer 58 placed against the back wall l8l at a cornerof the lug, and a spacer 48 placed along the side wall l8 of the car ata corner of the stack of boxes. Then additional stacks of lugs areformed and positioned along the end of the car with spacers 58 placedagainst the back wall l8l of the car, the strip 83 functioning as aspacer to hold the stacks a spaced distance apart, and the board 8|'82,functioning to space the stack'of lugs from the rear wall. The stacks oflugs arranged in this manner across the end of the car forms a. tier ofstacks, and provides open spaces 28 between the stacks of boxes, shownin Fig. 10. Spacers 8 are then positioned adjacent to openings 28, withstrip 84 forced into space 28. This leaves recessed openings between theprojecting strips 83 into which stacks of lugs are placed to form thenext adjacent tier of lugs. The loading is thus continued with the useof spacers 58 at the ends of the tiers of 1118s and against the sidewalls l8 of the car, and spacers between the stacks of lugs, until theapproximate center of the car is reached. The other half of the car isthen loaded in the same manner, and the two end packs forming the carload are then racked against each other, and against the ends l8l of thecar by. well known means of bracing not'shown herein.

Itis noted that if the tier of lugs and spacers inserted between thestacksof lugs do not fit tightly between the walls l8 of the car, wedges98, shown in Fig. 9, can be inserted between the spacers at the ends ofthe tiers of lugs, and the wall I8 of the car as shown in Fig. 11.

Another means for thus tightening the tiers of lugs between walls l8 ofthe car is accomplished by using the form of spacer shown in Fig. 3, inwhich strips 831 and 84! are formed with converging sides to form awedge. When these wedge formed strips are forced in openings 28,

they spread the stacks of lugs apart and thus i occupy more space.

It is noted that one of the objects of my invention is to provide airspaces on all outside surfaces of each individual lug, thereby providingthe opportunity for complete and adequate refrigeration and ventilation,so necessary and essential in the shipmentof perishable'commodities. Asshown in the drawing, there is a space between the top of one lug andthe bottom of the next adjacent lug, when said lugs are stacked, whichspace is provided by cleats 88 and 81,

shown in Fig. 12, and spacers 8 provide open spaces on the sides andends of the lugs. To

spacer along the line of strip 83.

Figs. 1, 18 and 11 show the boxes empty,-as these figures were primarilyintended to illustrate the method of placing the lugs in stacks, and thestacks of lugs in tiers. It is noted, however, that my invention relatesmore particularly to the loading in this manner of lugs whichv containfruits, or other merchandise, as is shown in Fig.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. In combination with a pack of packages of approximately uniform shapearranged in stacks, the stacks being arranged in spaced relation intiers, and the tiers being formed in spaced relation in a row, ofspacers adapted to hold said stacks and tiers rigidly in said spacedrelation, consisting of a post formed of two rigid strips attachedtogether with members clamped between said strips, said membersextending beyond the faces of the two rigid strips, said strips andportions of the members extending beyond the faces of the strips beingadapted to snugly enter the interstices between adjacent stacks ofpackages.

-2. In combination with'stacks of boxes or crates of approximatelyrectangular shape ,arranged in parallel rows of tiers, said stacks ofboxes being approximately uniformly spaced apart from adjacent stacks ofboxes, spacers adapted to hold said stacks of boxes in said spacedrelation consisting of a strip of material of such width that whenpositioned within the space between the stacks of boxes adjacent to theintersection ofboxes, and of such length that it will reach from thebottom to the top of said stacks of boxes, said strip of material havinglateral winged extensions on either face thereof and at approximatelyright angles to said strip of material, said wings being adapted to fittightly in the spaces between adjacent stacks of boxes and atapproximately right angles to the spaces engaged by the strip ofmaterial to which said wings are attached. I

3. In combination with stacks of lugs arranged in spaced relation intiers, said tiers being arranged in spaced relation in a row, saidstacking arrangement being adapted to leave a space on each side andeach end of the lugs forming the stack, spacers adapted to hold saidstacks in said spaced relation consisting of a rectangular post of suchsize that it can enter the intersecting spaces at the corners of thestacks of lugs, and extend from the bottom of the stack. of lugs to thetop of said stack, said post having laterally extending tongues on itsfaces, said tongues being of a thickness to approximately equal thewidth

